Unconditionally
by Of Perspicacity -INACTIVE
Summary: As it turns out, maybe being suspended from the team for a month isn't all bad for Nishinoya, and certainly not for Amaya and the other players on Karasuno's girls' volleyball team. After all, the two teams would never have interacted otherwise, Amaya would never have met Asahi, and Asahi may never have learned some of the most important lessons of his life. (Asahi x OC)
1. Chapter 1

**This A/N is going to be a bit long, so bear with me. This is my first fic for the Haikyuu fandom. It's slightly AU because the girls' volleyball team is not the one shown in the anime. ((_edit from previous statement_: I'm doing some dutiful research on honorifics because I just feel like I'm writing inaccurately if I omit them. PLEASE if you notice any errors don't hesitate to let me know. I appreciate the input)). Though I do have some knowledge of volleyball outside of what I've learned from Haikyuu, it's limited, so please let me know if you see anything that's not quite right! All mentions of asexuality and aromanticism (not very prevalent in this chapter, more so in the future) are based on my own experiences, and I hope I represent it well.**

**Haikyuu and its characters belong to Haruichi Furudate.**

* * *

"Ama-san!" The firm reprimand from Jun, her team captain, was enough to drag Amaya's attention back to the game in time to leap for the ball, giving it a solid bump towards Lin before glancing one last time at the person who'd caught her attention. It was only because she'd felt his gaze on her. Intense brown eyes peered beneath a shock of dark spiked hair accented by a few bleached strands hanging nearly in his eyes. He was of a slight build, but Amaya was sure she'd seen him in one of her classes. He was newly a second year as well.

Izumi's spike sent the ball solidly into the ground on the opposite side of the net, and at Jun's bidding amidst the groans of the girls they'd been practicing against the team took a quick break, jogging to the sidelines to grab their water bottles. Izumi followed Amaya as she veered towards the strange boy.

"Hey, kid!" Amaya cringed at Izumi's yell. Her friend was very talented in a lot of ways, but keeping her voice down was not one of them. "What're you doing here?"

"Just checking out your team!" He grinned so widely his eyes clenched shut and a nervous hand reached for the back of his neck.

"Oh?" Izumi narrowed her eyes, peering down at the boy. It wasn't hard as he was a few inches shorter than she was. Amaya was all too familiar with Izumi's downward glare.

"Yeah, actually I was wondering if I could practice with you guys!" He was unaffected by Izumi's harshness, rare for someone who didn't know her well.

"_You _want to practice with _us_?" It was easy to see why Izumi was skeptical. After all this was the _girls' _volleyball team, and he was most decidedly _not_, despite his small stature.

"Yeah, well, you see, I'm on the guys' team, but I kind of got suspended from club activities for a month. They never said anything about the girls' team though!" He seemed incredibly proud of himself for having found that loophole. "I need to keep up with everyone, and I figured this would be better than nothing."

"Better than –" Izumi began to seethe but Jun silenced her with a hand on her shoulder. Amaya hadn't even realized Jun had appeared behind them.

"I don't see the harm in it," She began smoothly. "You're that libero, right?" An enthusiastic nod was her answer. "I'll let you practice with my team on the condition that you help teach my girls a thing or two about receiving. Amaya has been carrying them and I don't like it."

Amaya felt her cheeks begin to grow hot at the unintentional compliment. So this kid was a libero too. It wasn't that she hadn't _tried _to give her teammates a few pointers when it came to receiving, but it was difficult to explain the movements that came so naturally to her. It was much easier to just field all the difficult serves and returns herself.

"Well, sure, I can try!"

"So what's your name, kid?" Izumi had managed to lower her voice a few notches and she now seemed genuinely curious more than anything.

"Nishinoya Yuu, I'm a second year." He gave one of those contagious grins again.

"Really? You are?" Her skeptical glance earned her a glare. "So'm I, and these two." She gestured to Amaya and Lin who stood on either side of her. "I'm Kimura Izumi."

Amaya jumped at the sharp elbow Izumi stuck in her side. "I'm Yamada Amaya." She rubbed her side ruefully and gave Izumi a pointed glare.

"I'm Shizuka Lin." Lin accompanied her introduction with a small wave. Each of the girls followed suit, introducing themselves in turn.

"And I'm Akiyama Jun, team captain. Nice to have you with us." Jun finished. "Okay, girls! Time to get back to it! Nishinoya, you can be with Chiko, Emi, Mayumi and Kame. The sides'll be more balanced with a libero on each. I'll stick with these three." Jun took everything in stride, as though it was a completely normal occurrence for someone from the boys' volleyball team to become an honorary member of their team. Jun was a middle blocker, a solid player in many areas but not standing out particularly in any of them. Still, it wasn't difficult to see how she'd won the position of captain. She had been quick to fit into the new role.

She, along with Lin and Izumi, were the players Amaya had bonded the most closely with. It may be a little bold to say that they carried the team, but they were the four who had held it together the year before, and their bond had only grown stronger. They trusted each other unconditionally.

Jun started with the first serve, a solid shot slightly to the left of their guest. Amaya couldn't deny being incredibly curious about this libero Jun had seemed so in awe of. Perhaps she should have gone with the team last year when they went to watch the boys' match. She was expecting him to receive the serve; what she wasn't expecting was his exclamation of "Rolling Thunder!" as he did it. It caught her off guard, but not enough that she couldn't dive to bump the spike Emi sent over the net.

"Lin!" She yelled, pleased that the bump had flown in just the direction she'd anticipated. With her own team it was easy enough, because she knew full well what each spiker was capable of. The way she saw it, all she had to do was redirect their spike to use their own power against them. It took a little more doing, but with some observation she managed to do the same in matches against girls she'd never played against before in her life. Lin's toss to Jun was perfect, Amaya noted with a small smirk, but she wasn't unaware of Chiko and Mayumi ready to block the spike. She poised herself and, as she'd feared, the spike was returned over the net. It didn't matter, because she was ready. Jun had moved out of the way instinctively, clearing a path for Amaya to get her body beneath the ball. It wasn't a perfect save, but it was good enough for Lin to toss once more, this time to Izumi. She was just about ready to pump her fist in victory as Izumi spiked the ball when a blur thrust its palm beneath it, separating it from the floor by mere centimeters.

It was enough. Mayume recovered from her surprise quickly enough to toss to Chiko who Amaya realized with a leap in her chest was on the opposite end of the court. There was no way she'd get there in time. Izumi lunged for the ball, but her efforts were futile. Dancing brown eyes met Amaya's in a smirk. She couldn't stop her own eyes from widening in surprise. This guy was _good_.

The practice match went on and, unlike before, victory was not won so easily for Amaya and her half of the team. It became much more of a struggle to keep the ball in play and actually make points. The importance of a skilled libero was certainly not something to be underestimated. She sensed Jun was dragging out the practice match longer than she normally would, perhaps, but eventually she must have accepted the fact that they simply would not be able to get a comfortable lead.

"Okay, girls!" She finally clapped after Emi's spike bounced inches from Amaya's outstretched hand. Amaya's hand formed a fist and she pounded the court once in frustration before accepting Izumi's hand to help her up. "I think that's enough for today," Jun went on. "Remember, practice tomorrow, same time. Nishinoya!" He glanced her way. "Will you be joining us again? I saw some good stuff out there. I'm looking forward to what you can share with us."

"Count me in!" He grinned. "You guys aren't too bad. Kinda enjoyed playing with you, actually."

"That was awesome," Emi grinned at him, raising a hand for a high five. She was one of the three first years on the team, and with her height and vertical jump, there was no denying her potential for the wing spiker position. "It sure is something, actually being able to play a serious practice match. Usually those three over there blow us out of the water." She gestured to Lin, Izumi and Amaya.

"They've got great teamwork," The libero agreed. "Really trust their libero. That's what I like to see." Another mirthful glance was sent Amaya's way.

"Get to work, girls. We need to be out of the gym in half an hour!" Jun interrupted the banter and after a collective, "Yes!" from the team, the girls jogged to the supply closet.

"Hey, libero!" Nishinoya had somehow snuck up behind Amaya and practically shouted to get her attention.

Amaya turned, handing him a mop as he began to speak.

"That block-receive was amazing!" he gushed. "You'll have to teach me how you do that… Amaya, right?"

"Yup," She confirmed. "I can sure try to teach you what I know about block-follows, but I'm not the best at explaining things. I'll do my best…but only if you'll teach _me_ the Rolling Thunder." She chuckled.

"You liked that, huh?" He smirked and Amaya couldn't tell whether he'd picked up on the teasing tone in her voice. "We're gonna get along just great. We can learn from each other, I think. By the time this month is over, we'll be unstoppable."

Amaya laughed. "I don't know about that, but it sure will be nice to have another libero around. That was one of the best practice matches we've ever had. Honestly, your receive on Izumi's spike was amazing."

"Thanks," he beamed. "She's your ace, right? She's got one powerful spike. Had me worried there for a little."

"Yeah. She just earned that title when our old ace graduated but we all pretty much knew it would be her. I'm feeling pretty good about our team as a whole this year," Amaya admitted. "I think we have a lot of potential."

Nishinoya tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I agree. Hope I'll be able to say the same for my team." He glanced at the clock on the wall, then whipped his head around to glare at it. "Uwah! I've gotta go!" He shoved his mop back into Amaya's hand. "Sorry!" He turned to jog off, raising a hand in farewell and apology. "See you tomorrow!"

"Uh… Bye!" Amaya raised her hand in a hasty wave, watching his retreating back and doing her best to process what exactly had just happened. She had just decided that the best way to describe Nishinoya was as a whirlwind when Izumi appeared at her side, pinneys bunched under her arms.

"Looks like you and that libero were getting pretty friendly," She teased, managing to jab Amaya in the side with an elbow despite her full arms.

"Izumi," Amaya began with a groan, only to be silenced by Izumi's quick rebuttal.

"I know, I know." She shoved a handful of pinneys to Amaya to toss into the proper bin. "You're ace and aro. You don't want any of that." Her voice was now tinged with sincerity. "But you know me. Can't leave well enough alone, and the temptation was too great. Forgive me?" Izumi faked a puppy-dog look that Amaya couldn't help but grin in response to. Amaya knew that beneath her harsh exterior Izumi was one of the kindest, most trustworthy people she knew. She may tease, but she knew when enough was enough. Amaya never regretted that Izumi was one of the few people she'd confided in.

"Yeah," Amaya conceded with a small grin before changing the subject. "You know, for once I can't wait for practice tomorrow."

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**Thanks for reading! My hope is to update this every few days, weekly at most.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Asahi!" Suga's voice carried across the hallway and Asahi cringed, glancing around and realizing there was no hallway or bathroom in the proximity to duck into. Pretending he hadn't heard Suga was not an option; everyone around him had heard his friend's shout and Suga's gaze was locked on Asahi.

"Hi, Suga." Asahi greeted his friend with a wide, shaky smile. It wasn't that he wanted to avoid _Suga_. What he wanted to avoid was the certain tongue lashing he'd receive. Suga didn't understand. Volleyball just wasn't for him. He'd had a good run, but his prime was clearly over. Surely someone like Tanaka could take over as ace and do a better job than he ever had.

"The guys really miss you at practice." Suga began. Asahi sighed, bracing himself and thanking heavens he hadn't run into Daichi instead. "It's not the same without you." This was the same guilt trip Suga had put him on a few days earlier after Asahi hadn't attended their first practice of the new school year. He sure was persistent, Asahi would give him that.

"I'm sure everything's fine without me." Asahi replied calmly, shrugging to convey to Suga how little he cared – well, how little he wanted him to think he cared. "The first years will fill in the cracks eventually." That was how it always went.

"Not true." Suga ignored the emptying halls, stepping closer to Asahi and lowering his voice. "They have some serious skills, but without an ace or a libero we're bound to have holes."

"I'm no ace." Suga opened his mouth, probably to refute him, but Asahi didn't let him speak. "Nishinoya comes back in three weeks. When he does, the team will be as strong as ever." Asahi glanced around the now almost completely empty halls. "I have to get to class. Bye, Suga." He stepped past him, brushing against his shoulder as he strode away.

"Asahi!" This time, Asahi did ignore Suga's calls. If he had to listen to his pleading any longer, Asahi knew he'd begin to question his resolve, and he was certain the choice he'd made had been the right one, much as it had pained him to make it. His team needed someone they could rely on, and that person wasn't him.

* * *

Jun groaned as Izumi muttered, "He's worse than Amaya."

"Hey!" Amaya's indignant reply was echoed by Nishinoya. His attempts at giving the girls pointers on receiving was turning out poorly at best. The only descriptors he could use for his movements were "zoop" and "whap" and the only person who was understanding much of his chatter was Amaya. Jun had almost cut in to stop him when he paused and a newly determined look spread across his features.

"Okay, look," he began almost hesitantly. "I don't know what it's like to be any of you guys. A spiker-" he glanced at Izumi, "-a setter-" he glanced at Lin, "-or a blocker." His gaze settled on Jun. "But I know how to be a libero. I know it so well that I obviously can't even put it into words." He shrugged. "But I know what my job is. My job is to keep the ball from hitting the court. As long as I succeed in that, my teammates like you guys can keep on playing and keep on scoring.

"When you're receiving, your domain isn't the air. Your domain is the space between the ball and the floor. You're the security for your team. The thing they're relying on you to do is simply to keep the ball up. What I think is that if you guys keep practicing your receiving, eventually you'll feel confident in that in-between space as well. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not really something that can be taught, but Amaya and I can practice with you until you feel more comfortable."

"Okay… yeah." Izumi was the first to speak. "That made a lot more sense than 'zwoop' and 'bap' and… 'uwah'." she flailed her arms in an exaggerated imitation of Nishinoya. "So what you're saying is, practice makes perfect?"

"Pretty much." Nishinoya shrugged. "I've been trying to teach my team the same stuff too. That's actually the first time I really thought of it that way."

"You just came up with that… on the spot?" Jun narrowed her eyes.

"Yup. Pretty cool, huh?" He smirked. Whatever calm, thoughtful aura had come over him was quickly wearing off. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's get to it! Jun-senpai!" He raised a hand, "A serve please." Jun shook her head but a slight smile creased her lips.

"Okay, girls." She tossed a ball between her hands as she spoke. "Line up behind Amaya and Nishinoya-kun! I'll keep sending them your way, and you can try your best to receive it. If you miss don't sweat it. Just keep going. Mayumi." She beckoned to her friend, "Feed me balls."

Amaya took her place behind Nishinoya, almost quivering at the electricity that had somehow, inexplicably filled the gym. She knew the other girls felt it too. Nishinoya's speech had spurred them all on, achieving in two minutes what she'd been trying to articulate for months. As practice began, the first years' bumps were sloppy and skidded against their forearms if not missing entirely, but their determination to keep trying was what made Amaya's heart swell a bit in her chest. She was confident now that if they devoted one or two practices a week to receiving, their holes would grow smaller and smaller. She knew this was what Jun had wanted for the team, and somehow this diminutive whirlwind had blown in and made it possible.

When practice was over, Amaya mopped as Nishinoya wandered around collecting the stray balls and tossing them in the bin, whooping every time he made one in.

"If I was taller, I'd totally be a basketball player," he shared glibly, shooting Amaya a teasing wink. "So, libero." He paused to pick up a ball that had rolled past her foot. "How'd ya think your girls did today?" He spun the ball between his fingertips absently, his task forgotten.

"They're more passionate about receiving than ever." That much was evident. "Thanks to you." Amaya added.

"Eh, it was nothing." He waved his hand as though shooing a pesky fly. "I say stuff sometimes." He chuckled. "Sometimes it works out, like that, but other times…" He paused to toss the ball up once more before continuing sheepishly, "Other times it gets me suspended from club activities for a month."

Amaya didn't want to pry, but – oh, who was she kidding? He'd practically dangled the comment beneath her nose. "So how _did_ you end up getting suspended anyway?"

"It's a long story…" for once Nishinoya spoke softly.

"I have time." Amaya didn't even know him that well, but she could sense the change in his demeanor. Izumi always teased that she could read most people like a book.

"'Maya!" Izumi interrupted, shouting though she'd come to stand only a few feet away from Amaya. "We were gonna go for ice cream on the way home." She glanced curiously between the two liberos. "You coming? You can come too, Nishinoya-san."

He chuckled weakly. "Believe me when I say I'm not usually one to turn down ice cream, but… I think I'll have to pass for today." He linked and unlinked his fingers almost nervously.

"I'm not that hungry, Izumi. Thanks though." Amaya shot her a glance that she hoped was apologetic and sincere enough. Her curiosity had gotten the better of her, and now that she'd come this far she had to hear the story. "We've got libero stuff to talk about."

"I see." Izumi bounced back quickly. "It's not often you get to socialize with your own kind," she teased. "The fewer shiny-eyed libero rants I have to sit through, the better! Catch you later." Izumi turned and raised her hand in farewell before Amaya could even voice her annoyance at the teasing jibes.

"So?" Amaya prompted the moment Izumi pulled the door shut, hoping he didn't find her too forward. If she had a dollar for every time she'd shoved her foot in her mouth she could retire at 25.

"Now, I'm only telling you this because we've got the libero thing going on." he wiggled his fingers to illustrate his point. "Plus, like I said before, I just talk too much in general." He laughed, but it was a distracted sound. When he backed against the wall and slid to the ground, crossing his legs, Amaya did the same, angling towards him to give him her full attention.

"Well," he began, "If you really want the long version, it started about two months ago, at our match against Date Tech. I don't know how much you follow the boys' volleyball-"

"Not much," Amaya interjected.

"But anyway, they probably have the best defense around. Their blockers are… Uwa!" He threw his arms up in an attempt to illustrate either their height or their ferocity. Amaya couldn't tell which. "Their nickname is the Iron Wall of Date. Anyway, point is, they pretty much creamed us. And our ace, Azumane Asahi – you heard of him?"

Amaya paused, cocking her head to the side thoughtfully. The name did have a somewhat familiar ring to it, but she couldn't pin a face to it. He was a third year. "I've heard the name…"

"Yeah, well, they blocked every single one of his spikes. Tch." Nishinoya paused, glaring down at his clenched fists. "And I tried really hard to back him up but… well, block-follow isn't my strong suit. I think we all felt kind of down, but he's the kind to take everything on himself. After that, he kept insisting that he was going to quit the volleyball club. After one lousy game!" Nishinoya was almost yelling now, eyes blazing. "I tried to tell him that no one saw him as a failure but himself, but he wasn't buying it. Things got… pretty heated." Nishinoya rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"A few days later I was sure he would have cooled down, realized how much of an ass he was being, but he didn't show up for practice. The next day when I saw him in the halls, I kinda blew up at him. The dean heard me yelling and came out just in time to witness me smashing a vase off a table."

Amaya's eyes widened. "That was _you_?! I heard about that!"

"Yup. That was me. Here I am. Here we are." He shrugged. "I haven't seen him since. I don't know if he's avoiding me or if it's the other way around. Anyway, I'm just hoping that he'll come to his senses and rejoin the team. After watching you play, I'm even more determined to practice my block-follow so that he never has to worry about losing because his spikes are blocked again."

"Well, I'd be happy to help you," Amaya was quick to offer. "I mean…" She felt her cheeks begin to flush. "I don't want to say I'm the expert or anything, but I've been perfecting my block follow ever since middle school. I always felt like I was letting my team down every time the ball hit the court, you know?" Nishinoya gave a silent nod for once. "So I decided that I'd work so that the ball hits the court as little as possible, no matter what the reason is. I want my teammates to be confident in me so that they can be confident in themselves. Jun says I take too much weight on my shoulders, but isn't the libero supposed to be the cornerstone of the team?"

"Yeah…" Nishinoya breathed, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "That's what I want. I saw the way Jun immediately moved out of the way after her spike, and the way Izumi and Lin got into position even though the spike was blocked. It was like they knew you'd be there to save it. That's what I want. I don't want there to ever be a time when my team thinks they have to give up. Please, can we practice block follows together?"

Even if she hadn't been the one to suggest it, there would have been no way Amaya could have refused the pleading yet determined look he gave her.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: You may notice that I slightly edited the first two chapters to include honorifics (and last names for the girls). I just couldn't help feeling that I was slacking by not even making an attempt to include them. If someone more knowledgeable than me notices anything I've inadvertently screwed up please don't hesitate to let me know!**

**Haikyuu and its characters belong to Haruichi Furudate**

* * *

The next few weeks were a blur that consisted mainly of volleyball between the routine team practices and block follow practice with Nishinoya. Amaya had convinced various members of the team to help out, staging blocks for Nishinoya to receive. She felt almost like a proud mother hen as she watched him improve, gaining confidence as he grew accustomed to the trajectory of a blocked spike. She'd tried to give him some pointers, but what had helped him the most in the end was just observing the way she positioned her body beneath the ball.

The team's receives were improving by leaps and bounds as well. Amaya wouldn't wish being suspended on anyone, but she had to admit that Nishinoya's suspension sure had worked out to their advantage. She could even feel herself improving with the input from another skilled libero. She found herself dreading the day Nishinoya would return to his own team. She'd miss having him around.

"I feel like I'm being replaced," Izumi had confided only half teasingly one afternoon after she'd spent almost a solid two hours staging blocks for Nishinoya and Amaya. "You two have really got something there. Are you sure you don't –"

"No." Amaya's response was firm. She knew what Izumi had been about to suggest, and there was no way. She'd formed a close bond with Nishinoya over the past weeks, but there was nothing romantic about it. "We're liber-bros." She smirked. It was a term Nishinoya had let fly a few days ago, and she couldn't help but repeat it now.

"You didn't." Izumi groaned at the bad pun. Amaya only laughed a bit too hard in response. In some ways, Nishinoya reminded her a lot of Izumi. Both were a little too outspoken and for the most part shared her corny sense of humor.

"You're still my best friend, Izumi." She continued, turning serious. "I just really want to help Noya, you know?" She'd dropped the 'nishi' weeks ago because she always found herself stumbling over his name. "He really wants to get better because he wants to help out his team. You've gotta admire that."

"I will admit that he's helped us more than he probably knows." Izumi turned thoughtful. "We should do something for him before he goes back!" She jabbed a finger in the air centimeters from Amaya's nose. "Like a party. And a thank you gift."

"I was thinking the same, actually." Amaya paused. "But what sort of gift?"

"We should definitely run it by the other girls." Izumi decided. "Someone's bound to have a good idea. What does he like, Amaya? You talk to him more than anyone else!"

"I don't know! All we talk about is volleyball! I don't even know if he _has_ other interests."

"Jun's good with stuff like that. Let's ask her."

"Ask Jun what?" Both girls spun around, surprised to hear Jun speak up behind them. Their captain had the stealth of a cat. After explaining their plan, Jun tugged at her lower lip thoughtfully.

"I've got it." She finally grinned.

A few days' planning and preparation finally culminated on the last day Nishinoya would spend practicing with them. The girls had all agreed to get to the gym before practice was scheduled to start, setting up a table and arranging the cake, candies and present on top of it. Finally, Emi spied Nishinoya bounding to a stop outside the doors and as he threw them open he stopped dead in his tracks.

"This is all for me?" He asked, dumbfounded and mostly silent for once.

"Yup!" Amaya grinned. "We decided we're actually going to miss you after all." She teased.

"You guys!" He was standing at the table, eying up the cake and popping a piece of candy in his mouth. "You didn't have to do all this for me!"

"Just accept it, dude." Izumi chuckled.

"No cake before practice!" Jun cut in as Nishinoya reached eagerly for the knife. "I'm _not_ cleaning your puke off the floor!"

"Sure, captain." Nishinoya held his hands up in self-defense.

"But," her tone softened and Amaya thought she saw a smile flit across her face. "You can open the gift now if you like."

He seemed to notice the wrapped box for the first time. "You guys got me a _gift_?" He squealed. "Aw, you're gonna spoil me. Maybe I'll join your team instead." He teased, wasting no time in reaching for the present. As he tore the paper away from the box, Amaya couldn't help feeling a little apprehensive. What if he didn't like it? What if he thought it was dumb?

She didn't have to worry. "Woah, cool!" he shouted as he pulled the first t-shirt from the box, one that had 'one-man army' painted on the back in Izumi's wide strokes. The box held five shirts in all, each with a different phrase.

"We thought you needed something different than those plain old white t-shirts you always wear." Jun was grinning now, pleased that he'd liked her idea so much.

"They're not very _you_," Emi added. "This is much more your style."

"Waahh, you guys!" Nishinoya was beaming. "I'm gonna wear them to every single practice! Promise! And I'll definitely come back to visit. Gotta make sure you're keeping up with everything you've learned." He faked a stern glare, unable to hold the strict expression long before breaking into a grin again. "Now, what are we waiting for?! I wanna get practice over with so I can have some of that cake. It looks fan-_freaking_-tastic."

Soon enough, practice was 'over with', cake was consumed, thanks had been said, and cleanup had commenced. A rather bittersweet feeling swelled in Amaya's chest at the familiar, "Hey! Libero!" From Nishinoya, perhaps for the last time.

"Hey," He repeated when she turned to meet his gaze. "I wanted to thank you." He was surprisingly collected, surprisingly quiet. It reminded her of the time he'd told her about his friend Azumane-san. "I know I already thanked the team, but… I wanted to thank you especially. You've helped me grow a lot as a libero. I feel way more rounded out than I've ever been. I feel confident. You've taught me so much about being someone your teammates can trust. I… appreciate it, Amaya-san." He actually used her name, a rare occurrence for him. Amaya felt an odd burning at the corners of her eyes.

"Well I owe you a lot too, Noya-san. You helped my team out. You helped _me_ grow as a libero. I think you helped me realize how important it is to have that unconditional trust between your teammates. It really does make a world of difference. It's all about connections, right?" She managed a grin despite the sinking in her gut. "Thank you, Noya-san."

"Well, jeez, you act like we'll never see each other again." He blinked quickly and Amaya wondered if she'd just imagined the sheen that had appeared in his eyes for a few moments. "We're liber-bros, right?" Amaya couldn't help but chuckle weakly at the revived term. "I'll see you around. Maybe we can hang sometime. Maybe our teams can play each other." At that suggestion a mischievous glint appeared in his eye. "I'll have my captain talk to your captain." He lifted his chin in a farewell gesture before turning to grab his box and what was left of the cake and make his way to the door.

"Bye, Noya!" Amaya called after him. Without turning he raised his hand in a final farewell.

* * *

Amaya had known she'd see him again, but she hadn't expected to see him the very next day. At first she'd thought the glimpse of his spiked hair beneath a tree in the courtyard was a figment of her imagination, but a redheaded blur blew past her shouting, "I'll see you later, Nishinoya-senpai!" and waving furiously at Nishinoya. Amaya couldn't hide her smile at the proud look on Nishinoya's face.

"Oi, libero!" She called to him once she'd gotten close enough. "Don't get such a big head!"

"Hey!" Nishinoya jumped up with a grin. "Long time no see." He teased. "Did you miss me terribly at practice?" He asked with a smirk.

"Oh, what, you mean you weren't there?" Amaya feigned surprise. "I hadn't noticed!"

Nishinoya shook his head. "I guess I deserved that."

"Kidding!" Amaya was quick to ensure. "So Mr. Bigshot, how was practice today? Was your team glad to have their libero back? Did you get to show off any of the nifty stuff I taught you?" She was surprised to see his face fall in response to her questioning. "…what's wrong?"

"He didn't even come back." Nishinoya blurted, dropping back down onto the low stone wall he'd been seated on.

"W-what?" Amaya had to scrabble for a few moments before the pieces fell into place and she realized who 'he' was. The ace. She silently took a seat next to Nishinoya beneath the tree, silently inviting him to continue.

"He's such a wimp! I can't believe he actually gave up on volleyball after that. We need him. I told Daichi I'm not even going to be on the team if Asahi won't be. What's the point, y'know? I don't want to do it without him. It shouldn't be possible. It'd be like if Izumi-san suddenly quit the team. Just, a huge hole. I can't play on a team that isn't complete."

"You mean… you're quitting volleyball?" Amaya sputtered, unable to fully process what he was saying. "But, you love volleyball."

"Yeah, well so did he. And I never said I'm quitting. I'll help the team practice, whatever. I just don't want to play in any matches."

"Wow…" Amaya wasn't quite sure how to even respond. She'd never seen Nishinoya so disheartened, even when he'd told the original story of what had happened. She had half a mind to rip this Azumane guy a new one. "Did you talk to him at all?"

"What's the point?" Nishinoya growled. "He wouldn't listen the first two times. Daichi's right. He's just a big goofball with a heart of glass. Too scared of getting hurt to even bother trying. What a cream puff." Nishinoya spouted, barely even making sense anymore.

"Noya…" Amaya reached a hesitant hand to rest on his arm. He just shook it off, pulling his shoulders back and pasting on a smile anyone could see was forced.

"Don't worry about me, Ama-san. Stop looking so down." She attempted to erase the frown from her face but her brow remained creased. "Hey, I've gotta go, but I'll see you around, okay?" He stood and slung his bag over his shoulder. "Catch you later, libero." He flashed a small smile and was gone, leaving Amaya to sit, dumbfounded, until Izumi found her there.

""Maya! I was looking everywhere for you! What're you sitting here for?" Izumi bounded in front of her and stopped in her tracks when she caught a glimpse of Amaya's face. "What's wrong?" She was immediately concerned, dropping to the spot beside her. Amaya relayed what had just happened, and she watched as Izumi's face fell to match her own.

"I can't believe he'd just quit like that." Izumi seemed just as shocked as Amaya had been. "He's always so upbeat."

"Yeah, I know…" Amaya paused. "So this is obviously something big. Why do you think that guy quit like that? Do you even know him? Azumane…"

"I've heard the name, but I can't say I've ever seen him. He's the ace you say?" Amaya nodded in affirmation and Izumi tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I can imagine how it must feel to have every single one of your spikes blocked in a match. It would certainly be discouraging. I don't know if I'd _quit_…"

"But if what Noya-san says is true, he's nothing like you." Amaya frowned. "He called him a cream puff."

"I think he needs a stern talking to!" Izumi decided.

"From what I gather, Noya-san already tried that… Maybe what he needs is more of a _gentle_ talking to."

"Well, we both know that's not exactly up my alley." Izumi laughed. "If he's the 'delicate flower' type someone like Lin should talk to him. Or… hey! You're miss motivation for our team. Why don't you give it a shot if you think it'll help?"

"Me?" Amaya choked out. "Well…" She considered it briefly before making up her mind. "I'll do it for Noya." She decided.

That was how, the next day, she found herself standing outside the third year's classroom with Izumi and Lin behind her. "Which one is he?" Izumi asked in a whisper that could hardly be called such.

"Shh!" Amaya hushed nervously. "That one there matches Jun's description…" She paused as a third year girl left the room, giving her a curious glance as she passed. The guy was tall, and ibig/i. He didn't look like a pansy. He had long hair pulled back into a loose bun and slight stubble sprouting on his chin. Amaya wasn't quite sure what she'd been expecting, but it wasn't that.

"Scary!" Lin breathed.

"Oi." Amaya scolded with a frown. "Well…" She took one hesitant step through the doorway. "Wish me luck!"

* * *

**I promise more Asahi is coming!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Haikyuu and its characters belong to Haruichi Furudate**

* * *

"Azumane-senpai?" Asahi turned in surprise at the strange voice calling his name. An underclassman and a girl? He felt his palms begin to sweat. What business could she possibly have with him? The redhead and the frowning setter already had him slightly off-kilter.

"Y-yes?" He looked up, hoping the smile he'd managed to paste on his face wasn't shaking as much as his hands. The golden eyes that met his were set in a slight frown. "Uh… Do I know you?" He didn't think he recognized her, but he certainly didn't want to offend her if he should.

"No." Okay then… "I'm Yamada Amaya, and I'm on the girls' volleyball team if that means anything. See, I'm here because…" She glanced down at her fingers, twisted together nervously. "I'm here because I think you should join the volleyball team again!"

After Asahi recovered from the slight shock her statement had given him, he narrowed his eyes. "Did Daichi send you?" He couldn't imagine why Daichi would send some random girl to do his dirty work. Did he think her golden hair and pleading eyes would sway him?

"No. I'm here because of Nishinoya-san, actually. Did you know that he quit playing volleyball because of you?" There wasn't any malice in her tone, but Asahi shrank back anyway.

"No – I… I didn't know that." He was rather taken aback by this knowledge. Noya was the one person he would never have expected to quit playing volleyball. Noya was rambunctious, determined, and the most talented libero he'd ever seen. Essentially, everything that Asahi wasn't. "He shouldn't have done that because of me." Asahi spoke softly, firmly.

"But… don't you see?" It was obvious she was trying her hardest not to raise her voice. "It's because he doesn't think his team is complete without you. Your team _needs_ you, Azumane-san. They need their ace!"

Asahi released a heavy sigh. "Look, Yamada-san?" He found the courage to meet her gaze. "They may need an ace, but that isn't me. After that match…" He couldn't hide his grimace. "I just couldn't see myself spiking anymore. The blockers' hands were all I could think about. The only thing I could picture was me, shutting down. What good is an ace who can't get past an iron wall?"

She was silent for a few moments, and Asahi almost thought she'd given up when she opened her mouth to speak once more. "Azumane-san, if Noya-san taught me anything over this past month, it's that unconditional trust between teammates is the cornerstone of a strong team. You're never playing alone, and no burden is yours to bear alone. If volleyball is still your passion, if you still have complete faith in your teammates, then you shouldn't let failure get you down. Your team is there to help you see the other side of the net again. I hope you know they haven't lost faith in you, so there's really no need to lose faith in yourself." She stopped to glance at the clock and Asahi blinked quickly, snapping his mouth shut when he realized he'd let it fall open.

"Look, I said too much." Her cheeks were tinged with red now. "It's a bad habit. And I've got to go anyway. I just couldn't let Noya-san stay so disheartened. Please, consider it, Azumane-senpai." Her golden gaze was plaintive.

"O-okay." He agreed haltingly, still working to process everything she'd just said. He was rewarded with a bright yet uncertain smile.

"Good." She stood. "Maybe I'll see you around, Azumane-san." And with that she was gone, leaving Asahi to ponder her words along with the memory of the heft of the ball in his palm stirred by the small red-headed spiker. He ran a hand over his face, seeing his teammates' smiling faces instead of his own visions of failure for the first time in more than a month.

* * *

That night, Asahi lay in his bed with his eyes dutifully closed, but sleep was the farthest thing from his mind. Instead, painted on his eyelids he saw the exuberant red-head squeeing about how good it felt to spike a ball over the net. He saw the way the grumpy setter's frown had softened when he told Asahi that you're never playing alone. He saw Suga's wide, genuine smile as he implored Asahi to come back. He saw Daichi's scowl when he'd tried his best to convince Asahi with his own brand of tough love. He saw Yamada-san's intense golden gaze, someone he'd never met before in his life but who had cared enough about Noya – enough about _him_ \- to confront him with her surprisingly heartfelt words. He saw all of this, but whenever he tried to envision a volleyball net, all he saw was an iron wall.

* * *

Asahi couldn't deny the pull. He knew it was probably best just to forget it, but he had to walk past the gymnasium as he made his way home. As he got closer, he heard the murmuring voices of his team, soon drowned out by shouts of, "Asahi-san! It's Asahi-san!" It was that bubbly redhead, shouting out the window for the world to hear. Asahi gulped, glancing around and finding there was nowhere to run. Soon a blonde man – was that the guy from the corner store? – poked his head out the door and asked what position he played.

"Uhh… Wing spiker." It came out haltingly. _Not ace_. He added silently.

"Well, get in here!" The man beckoned with an impatient wave of his hand. Asahi had no choice but to oblige him, so he stepped through the doors of that familiar gymnasium once more. His old teammates were all there, along with the redhead and the setter, as well as a tall blonde with glasses and an even deeper frown than the setter and a tall, freckled, uncertain-looking boy. They must be the first years Suga had been gushing about. He met Noya's intense gaze for a few moments before looking away.

His teammates sure seemed glad enough to see him. The guy from the corner store was shouting about how he needed a setter for his team, a small group of men Asahi gathered were from a neighborhood team. To Asahi's surprise, Suga stepped up to volunteer. He was shocked to hear that Kageyama had taken Suga's place as setter for Karasuno. He fleetingly wondered what the boy's tosses were like, but thought grimly that it probably didn't matter much. Then Suga started talking.

He went on about how stressful setting had been for him, regret coloring his voice and fists clenched at his sides. Asahi was somewhat surprised to learn that Suga had been terrified of tossing for spikes that would be blocked. It reminded him too much of how he had felt having his spikes blocked. He stood, frozen, as Suga continued to confess his fears. Asahi gave a start when Suga shifted his gaze to meet Asahi's.

"But," he concluded, eyes boring into Asahi, "I want to toss for you once more, Asahi." With that, he turned to Kageyama with his trademark grin and encouraging words, then to Nishinoya for more of the same. The old Suga was back once more, but his words added to the weight swirling in Asahi's middle.

As the game began, Asahi was simply going through the all-too-familiar motions. He took his place at the net, but he was carefully watching his teammates. Suga's tosses were as dependable as ever, and at Noya's praise he shared his determination to continue working to improve. Something new began to swell in Asahi's gut as he watched his teammates bantering, his dependable setter and the guardian at his back. He thought bitterly that those two were working to improve themselves, to become the best they could be, yet here he stood, an empty shell on the court. He realized with a start that he wanted to change that. He couldn't help but recall Yamada-san's words. _I hope you know they haven't lost faith in you, so there's really no need to lose faith in yourself_.

His thoughts were interrupted by the fastest successful quick he'd ever seen in his life. The redhead – was Hinata his name? – Really hadn't been kidding when he said he could get past any blocker with the help of the frowning setter. Were his eyes even open? It had happened so quickly that Asahi wasn't quite sure. He felt his jaw hang open slightly in disbelief. He recalled Hinata's words about the view on the other side of the net, and though he tried once more, desperately, to envision that sight, all he saw was a looming iron wall. Unbidden, the memories of that match came to the surface again, aching as fiercely as ever. Asahi recalled the horrible screaming match he'd had with Nishinoya and his insides began to swirl. He was brought back to the present by the sounds of loud congratulations to Hinata and the grumpy setter – Kageyama.

"That's what I want." Asahi clenched his fists at his side, and he saw Noya turn in surprise out of the corner of his eye. "No matter how many times I fail, I still want to spike!" He felt a new determination that he hadn't thought was possible before.

"Then I'm fine." Noya's face was the picture of serenity. "Now that you said that, I'm fine." He repeated. Asahi was shocked and humbled that he'd been forgiven so easily. He'd been so blind, so thoughtless, he realized now. He wasn't allowed any more time to overthink his position, because the ball was on their side and a member of the neighborhood team was calling for him to make the spike.

The motions were all too familiar as Asahi jumped, pulling back to make contact with the ball. He wasn't unguarded, however. The three tallest members of the opposite team were making their jump as well. The heft of the ball in his palm was familiar and exhilarating, just as Hinata had said. When his spike was blocked, the old ache began to return, but it didn't have time to fester because Noya, the dependable guardian at his back, dove and managed to save the blocked spike. Before Asahi could even process what had happened, Noya was speaking again.

"Even if the ball bounces off the wall, I'll keep it in play! So call for the toss, ace!" Asahi's eyes widened and he watched as Suga positioned himself beneath the ball. He could see the uncertainty painted on Suga's face._ The ace. The one who decides the toss when things get difficult_. That was what he had always been. He had been so terribly selfish. His teammates had enough faith in him to keep the ball in the air, to toss – "Suga! One more!" He was ready.

From the moment he brought his arm back, Asahi felt it. He _knew_. That sight… the other side of the net was wide open once more. The force of the spike, the tingling in his palm, and the sense of euphoria – it was all so achingly familiar. His teammates' congratulations were no more than a haze. "Nice toss, Suga. Nishinoya." He turned to face his faithful guardian. "Nice receive." Their wide smiles in response prompted his own to grow. Even another god-like quick from the first year duo wasn't enough to cool the fire in his middle. The ace was back.

The rest of the match seemed to fly by. Too soon it was over, but Asahi had made his decision and he knew he'd never tire of playing volleyball with these people. His teammates. His friends. As they all dispersed, he had just one question for Noya.

"Hey… Noya-san?" He came up alongside his friend, who grinned widely at him.

"You're back, ace!" Noya whooped gleefully. "This year is going to be the best one ever." He promised, a fire alight in his eyes.

"I'm back." Asahi agreed with his own smile. He couldn't get rid of the one nagging question in the back of his mind, of just how much he'd missed when he was gone. "Do you have a girlfriend, Noya-san?" He finally blurted.

"What?" Noya stopped walking and turned to stare at Asahi in surprise. "Only if Kiyoko-san has finally accepted my standing offer!"

"Oh." Asahi was confused. "Well, I guess I thought… see, this girl came to talk to me yesterday. She said she was on the girls' volleyball team, and she said she came because of you. Her name was Yamada-san."

"Ama-san?" Noya asked softly. "She really came to talk to you?"

"Yeah… she said some really intense things. Kind of reminded me of you, actually. She said you didn't think the team was complete without me."

"Oh, that?" Noya rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Pah. I might have said that. But she actually talked to you?"

"Yes!" Asahi confirmed. "You're _sure_ she's not your girlfriend?"

"Positive! She helped me out a lot with all of that block-follow stuff. You really have her to thank for that save I made tonight. We're liber-bros!" Noya laughed at his own pun. "She's great, but I don't think of her like that. Kiyoko-san is the only woman for me." Asahi rolled his eyes. If nothing else, Noya sure was persistent.

"Well, she seems like a really good friend, then." Asahi shrugged.

"She is!" Noya suddenly smirked. "You wouldn't happen to be asking because _you_ have a crush on her, would you? Oh, she's pretty cute, isn't she, Asahi?" Noya grinned devilishly.

"What? No! I – no!" Asahi sputtered in defense. "It's not like that! I was just wondering, that's all." Luckily Noya let him off with another smirk in his direction.

"I'd love to pursue this further," He teased, "But I've gotta go. Seeya, Asahi!" Noya waved and turned to jog off leaving Asahi standing in contemplative silence. There was no way. He didn't have a crush on this Yamada-san. He'd barely spoken with her enough to get to know her, much less develop a crush on her. His cheeks were only slightly red as he thought back to the golden-eyed smile she'd flashed him when she left.

* * *

**Hello and thank you to all of the new follows/favorites since I last updated! And thank you to my faithful reviewers as well.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm so sorry this took so long. I've got a lot going on right now, a few other projects, but I do not have any plans to abandon this story!**

**Haikyuu and its characters belong to Haruichi Furudate**

* * *

The girls' volleyball team was just finishing cleanup after practice when the gymnasium doors were flung open in fanfare. "I was hoping you'd all still be here!" Noya gasped out, clearly out of breath. He must have sprinted the whole way there.

"Nishinoya-san!" Izumi turned in surprise.

"Hey, Noya-san!" Amaya was happy to see Noya, and even happier to see that he appeared to be in much better spirits than he'd been a few days earlier.

"Hey, libero!" Noya greeted with a grin. "I wanna talk to you later," He said pointedly, "But first… oh Jun-senpai!" He sang out. Jun heaved a small sigh.

"Yes, Nishinoya-kun?" She still couldn't hide the small smile that danced across her face.

"So, I talked to Daichi, and I _may_ have scored us a joint practice." He grinned. "You just need to talk to him to plan out the details. Ahh, I'm so excited, you guys! I really think our teams can teach each other so much!"

"It could be beneficial." Jun agreed thoughtfully. "I'm pretty curious to see how the guys' team is doing this year."

"You think we'll be a match for them?" Lin interjected, a frown creasing her brow. "I mean, they're guys. They're probably all taller than us, stronger than us…" She ticked off the reasons on her fingers as she spoke.

"Don't underestimate yourselves!" Noya insisted. "Height and power aren't everything. Look at me. I don't have either of those things." He chuckled. "I think you'd be surprised just how well you'd be able to hold your own. Besides, you'll be working _with _them for now."

Lin shrugged. "I guess we'll see."

"You will." Noya assured. "So I'll catch you all later! Yo, libero? You got time?"

"For you?" Amaya grinned, handing her mop off to Izumi who was already on her way to the closet. "Of course. What's up? You sure perked up," she observed as they walked out into the twilight.

"Yeah," He agreed, "And I think it's partly thanks to you, actually. Asahi's back on the team!"

"Really?" Amaya whooped, "That's so great, Noya-san! But… why are you thanking me?"

"I know you talked to him," Noya informed. "He told me. He said you told him some 'pretty intense stuff.' I don't know what you said, but… I appreciate it. You're a good friend."

Amaya felt her cheeks begin to warm. "Thanks, Noya. So," She began, changing the subject, "This joint practice… just what are you hoping to achieve?"

"A lot of stuff!" He threw his hands in the air. "I really think our teams would mesh well together. They need a lot of work on receives too, and I really think the two of us could accomplish more than just me by myself. Plus…" He gave Amaya a rather suspicious sideways glance. "I think you and Asahi would really hit it off."

She frowned. "Yeah?" She answered slowly. "Why's that?"

He shrugged. "Just a feeling I've got." He grinned mischievously. "I'm gonna try to get you and him on the same side for practice. I really think having your block follow behind him would be a huge confidence boost. I'm not quite there yet, but it's your specialty. He needs that."

"Sure, I guess that makes sense." Amaya shrugged. "But you act like this joint practice is a sure thing. Jun hasn't talked to your captain yet."

"Oh, it'll happen. I told Daichi how much working with your team helped me, and he seemed to think all the guys could benefit from working with another team. I also told him all about your receiving, and he seemed to _really_ like the idea of having you work with our team. When I say we need a lot of work, I'm not exaggerating. And when Daichi wants something…" He forced a breath between his lips, shaking his head. "Well, he usually gets it."

Amaya chuckled. "Must be a captain thing." She pulled her phone out of her pocket, squinting at the time on the screen as the rest of her team began to pour out of the gym. "I should get going." She said as Izumi joined her. "I'll see you at that joint practice?"

"Count on it!" Noya shouted over his shoulder as he turned to go.

"Bye Noya-san!" Izumi called to his retreating back. "What's got you so smiley?" She asked Amaya as soon as he was out of earshot, quirking an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Noya's happy. His friend's back on the team. We're going to practice with them. It's all very exciting." She shrugged with a grin.

"Simple minds…" Izumi began teasingly, not even finishing her remark before receiving a solid thwack on the arm from Amaya.

* * *

Noya had been right about the joint practice. Within a few days it had been scheduled, and soon after that they stood outside the boys' team's gym waiting for them to arrive, abuzz with both excitement and nerves. Jun had insisted they arrive early, mostly because she wanted to make the best possible impression. In Amaya's opinion, it just made them look over-eager.

"I can't wait to see Noya-san's team!" Emi chirped.

"Think there are any cute guys?" Chiko asked, clasping her hands beneath her chin.

"Oh, lay off it." Izumi rolled her eyes. "We've gotta be serious about this! Right Jun?"

"Because serious is your middle name, eh Izumi?" Jun smirked.

"Oi!"

Izumi's red-faced rebuttal was interrupted by Mayumi's hiss of "Shh! They're coming!"

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" a gray-haired boy with an almost blinding smile apologized amiably as the coach unlocked the door.

"I told Noya to be here to meet you, but I see he didn't show up yet." The dark-haired captain frowned, stepping through the door with a shake of his head. "Anyway, come in." He gestured. No sooner had the girls stepped into the gym than a breathless Noya burst in.

"I'm so sorry Daichi!" He gasped. "I was on my way, and then-"

"Save it!" The captain dismissed with a wave of his hand. "It's too late now. Since you've finally decided to show up, there are nets to be set up." His tone was not one to be messed with. Amaya felt especially appreciative of Jun at that moment. Noya didn't seem phased.

"Hi girls!" He greeted with a grin and a wave. "Hey, Libero, you wouldn't let your bro set up these nets _all by himself_, would you?" Noya gave her his best pleading look. Amaya had just opened her mouth to begrudgingly agree when another voice cut in.

"Let me help, Noya." It was that Azumane guy. Amaya couldn't help but note that he looked quite a bit more at ease here than he had the week before. "Don't be rude to our _guests_." He reprimanded with a sigh that said he knew his words fell on deaf ears.

"Thanks, Asahi!" Noya beamed. Amaya couldn't help but smile at the strange dynamic the two had. They were very different, that much was obvious, but they somehow complimented one another. Asahi seemed to be the steady calm to Noya's hot-headedness.

Slowly the rest of the boys' team trickled in, side-eying the girls who stood in a cluster in the corner. "Nishinoya!" The captain barked. "Care to introduce your friends? We'd like to get things underway."

"Sure thing." Noya flashed a grin. "Girls, this is _my _team. Sawamura Daichi, the esteemed captain." The captain rolled his eyes. "Sugawara Koushi." The gray-haired boy beamed another smile at his introduction. "Or Suga, as everyone calls him. Azumane Asahi, our ace!" Noya grinned widely. Azumane's eyes met Amaya's for a fraction of a second before darting away nervously. He raised a hand in a hesitant greeting.

Izumi leaned over and whispered harshly in Amaya's ear, "I still can't believe it." Amaya frowned and shushed her.

"You haven't seen him play yet. Give him a chance." He may be timid, but there was something about him that seemed intimidating regardless. Amaya was already calculating how difficult it would be to receive his spike.

Noya continued on with the introductions, right down through the first years and the red-head who'd called him 'Nishinoya-senpai'. "And, that's my team!" He concluded as he turned to face them. "And now I'd like to introduce you to the Karasuno girls' volleyball team. This is Akiyama Jun, the captain, who's nicer to me than Daichi ever was!"

"Nishinoya." The captain interjected threateningly as his team tittered and Jun shook her head.

"Now," Noya went on, blissfully ignorant. "I don't want to give away any secrets," he winked in Amaya's direction, "but these next three you need to watch out for. Yamada Amaya, libero extraordinaire, Kimura Izumi, ace, and Shizuka Lin, setter!" Amaya shot him a glare. He was building them up way too much, and the last thing she wanted was to fall short of whatever expectations these boys may have for her. Who knew what stories Noya may have spun about them. As the introductions continued, Amaya scanned the team carefully.

There wasn't an overabundance of tall players, she noted with a hint of relief. Sure, they were all taller than her teammates with the exception of Nishinoya and the red-head whose name she'd learned was Hinata, but it wasn't anything they couldn't face. She had faith in her teammates and their abilities, especially after all the work they'd done with Noya. She recalled him mentioning that his own team's receives could use some work, so she hoped what little skill they'd developed so far would prove sufficient.

Receiving practice went as well as could be expected. Amaya was proud to see how well her girls were doing, but the same couldn't be said for most of the first years on the boys' team, she noted with a smirk. Nishinoya squawked at the red-head to pay more attention to the ball, the first year setter frowned at both of them, and the tall, blonde first year looked as though he couldn't be bothered with any of it. She was impressed by the captain's receive, and even Azumane held his own. The two teams had slowly developed a lighthearted banter, and Amaya realized that she was enjoying herself immensely.

What she was really looking forward to, however, was the practice match. Maybe the boys' team wasn't the best at receives, but there was an indescribable energy pulsing through them, something she couldn't quite pin down. No matter how the teams were divided for the practice match, this would certainly be interesting.

"I want Ryuu on my team!" Nishinoya called out the moment Sawamura and Jun began discussing the breakdown. "And Emi and Jun-senpai!"

"Hey!" Sawamura barked. "Who's choosing the teams here?"

"The liberos!" Noya was quick to respond.

"Hey, I like that." Amaya grinned. "Can I have Izumi and Lin?"

"Just wait, Amaya!" Jun hissed.

"I don't know how you dealt with this for a month, Akiyama-san." Sawamura sighed in Jun's direction, half teasingly and half wearily. "I mean… I guess it's not a completely terrible idea for Nishinoya to help choose the teams. After all, he's the only one who knows everyone." He admitted begrudgingly.

"Yeah!" Noya grinned, jabbing his thumb into his chest. "You guys, this is going to be great. I'll choose the best teams. They'll both be unstoppable!"

"How…?" Izumi leaned over and whispered to Amaya, who only shook her head. Nishinoya's logic wasn't always explicable.

"Okay, so I _suppose _you can have Lin and Izumi, Ama-san…" Nishinoya began. "But only if I can have Shouyou and Tobio-"

"Woah, when did we actually decide _you _could do this?" Sawamura interrupted.

"You did just now!" Nishinoya shook his head. "Geez. _Anyway_." Sawamura opened his mouth and closed it again. Sugawara did his best to hide a chuckle behind his hand. "As I was saying, it's only fair. And I've got Ryuu, of course, so that means that you, Ama-san, will get Asahi. Two aces for you. What luck." He winked in her direction and glanced at Azumane with a wide grin. The so-called Ace paled visibly. "I'll take Jun, Emi, and Mayumi as well. That means you can have Daichi, Tsukishima, and Chikara." He ticked the names off on his fingertips. "I guess everyone else will have to rotate in!" He shrugged. "What do you say Daichi? Jun-senpai? Eh? Do I know how to pick 'em or what?"

"We'll see." Sawamura narrowed his eyes but didn't suggest any changes. "Okay! Are we ready to get started?" A collective 'yes' was followed by the teams falling into place. Nishinoya stuck his tongue out playfully at Azumane before molding his features into what Amaya knew as his game face. In some ways, when he played, you'd never know he was the same person.

Amaya glanced at Azumane who returned her gaze calmly, even managing a slight nod without a hint of nerves. Maybe, she thought to herself, he was a different person when he played, too. She widened her stance a bit to prepare for Jun's serve, letting a small smirk slide across her features. As Nishinoya had said, this was one match that would surely prove to be interesting.

* * *

**I guess you could say this is the beginning of the next "story arc". More interactions are coming, I promise! I hope not to let so much time pass until the next chapter. Thanks for all of the follows, favorites, and reviews since last time. You're all wonderful^^**


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